No passport controls between North and South, says Taoiseach
Tighter passport controls between Ireland and the UK will not apply to the Republic's border with the North, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern confirmed today.
New restrictions could mean anyone travelling between Ireland and Britain from 2009 will have to carry a passport, ending a long-standing open travel arrangement.
However, unionist representatives are concerned the introduction of a new electronic border control system for Britain could force citizens in the North to use a passport to travel from one part of the UK to another.
The proposed new border controls will collect and analyse passenger information in advance of travel, similar to controls already in use in the US and Spain.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today told TDs in the Dáil that British authorities began to tighten up border security after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
"This is another move on that and they are putting in a huge amount of resources into their border control system."
He said British officials were keeping the Irish Government fully informed on their plans.
He added: "British authorities have no plans whatsoever to introduce any controls on the land border between North and South. I want to make that clear.
"All they are looking at is increased co-operation on cross-border co-operation, targeting illegal immigrants."
He added: "I see it as an opportunity for deeper co-operation, rather than the opposite."
Irish Government officials are now to prepare a memo on a proposed Irish Border Information System which the Cabinet will consider in early 2008.
The new British government controls will effectively signal an end to the Common Travel Area which existed between Ireland and Britain since the foundation of the State in 1922.
